Current Final

Category: Politics

  • ‘Germany has role and responsibility with regard to situation in Kashmir’: German Foreign Minister

    German Foreign Minister (FM), Annalena Baerbock, has said in Berlin that the country has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir.

    Speaking at the joint press conference on Friday with her Pakistani counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, she said, “Germany has a role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir. Therefore, we support intensively the engagement of the United Nations (UN), to find peaceful solutions in the region.”

    Talking about the tensions between India and Pakistan, the minister said, “We support all the engagement with regard to the ceasefire, however, there is a tension which minister [Bilawal] has described so we encourage both Pakistan and India to follow the track of the ceasefire, to follow the track of UN and intensify the political dialogue and also the political and practical cooperation in the region.”

    Moreover, Baerbock showed support for the county by saying that “Pakistan could rely on the support of the German people and government”.

    Bilawal, on the occasion, thanked Germany, and said that the total amount of aid from Germany had reached €60 million for that “we are incredibly grateful to the German people and the government”.

    He also highlighted grave human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and said that the alarming situation posed risks to regional peace and stability.

    The Pakistani foreign minister described his meeting with Baerbock as a “pleasure” and invited her to visit Pakistan.

    In a tweet, he said, “Pleasure meeting for the second time this year with Annalena Baerbock at the German foreign office. Invited her to visit Pakistan to witness firsthand devastation caused by floods in.”

    Bilawal reached Berlin on Friday on his first visit.

  • Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Rana Sanaullah in corruption case

    Non-bailable arrest warrant issued for Rana Sanaullah in corruption case

    Non-bailable arrest warrants have been issued on Saturday in a corruption case for Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

    A spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab said that it has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader after he failed to appear at an inquiry.

    Special Judicial Magistrate Ghulam Akbar issued the arrest warrant for the interior minister in case number 19/20, said the ACE spokesperson.

    “The warrants have been issued because Sanaullah failed to appear in the anti-corruption inquiry despite being summoned several times,” a spokesperson of ACE told Dawn.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on its official Twitter account, said that a police party has departed to arrest Sanaullah and will soon reach the Kohsar police station.

    “According to the rules, the process of arresting Rana Sanaullah will begin by informing the local police,” it added.

    A day earlier, the FIA took PTI Senator Saifullah Niazi into “protective custody” for questioning in the foreign funding case.

  • Gilgit-Baltistan minister, abducted by militants, returns home

    Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Prisons Minister Colonel (retd) Abaidullah Baig has returned home after being abducted by militants on Friday while en route to Skardu from Islamabad.

    According to police, the minister was travelling with two foreigners when abducted by terrorists.

    Geo News’ sources have said that the kidnappers had demanded the release of their jailed accomplices.

    Earlier, former GB government spokesperson Faizullah told Geo News that he has spoken to the minister and talks were underway for the release. He had said he was present at the Jirga where negotiations were held with the kidnappers.

    Faizullah said that the militants had kept Baig and his companions in a house for six hours. They were released at 3am after negotiations.

    Baig was elected from Hunza 6 on a PTI ticket and he is a member of the GB Legislative Assembly since 2020.

  • ‘Khan has confessed his involvement in horse trading in audio leak’: PM Shehbaz

    ‘Khan has confessed his involvement in horse trading in audio leak’: PM Shehbaz

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s involvement in horse trading has been confirmed in the alleged audio leak that surfaced a day earlier.

    “Imran Khan has confessed that he was involved in horse trading in the audio,” said PM Shehbaz while lambasting Khan for accusing his opponents of getting an NRO.

    The premier said that no one is above the law, adding that his family suffered the worst cruelty and yet have been appearing before the court.

    “Did any court summon Imran Khan?” he asked.

    “Pakistan’s prime minister was bidding [for people] in the PM house,” PM Shehbaz said outside Special Central Court in Lahore.

    “He had set up a market to buy and sell, and consciences were being sold. Could there be a bigger crime than this by a sitting PM?” the prime minister questioned, referring to the recent audio leaks in which Imran can be allegedly heard talking about buying “five” MNA’s.

    Terming Khan the world’s worst fraud, Shehbaz Sharif asked why the then NAB chairman did not take notice of the £190 million robbery.

    He accused the PTI chairman of hatching a conspiracy against the nation and asked where did he get the money to buy the conscience of five lawmakers?

    “Imran Niazi now you have to answer the nation,” the PM declared.

  • COAS Bajwa warns ‘price of status quo will be devastating’ for all

    COAS Bajwa warns ‘price of status quo will be devastating’ for all

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa warned that the “price of status quo will be devastating for all of us”.

    “The world has changed, and so should we as the price of status quo will be devastating for all of us,” warned the army chief while addressing the passing-out parade of 146th PMA Long Course at Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul.

    “I must highlight here that our desire for peace must not be construed as our weakness. No one should make any mistake about our collective resolve to defend our core interests and every inch of our motherland,” he warned.

    He said that the people of South Asia deserve prosperity and better living conditions, which can only be achieved with sustained economic growth, developing, and lasting peace.

    “Therefore we should try to keep the flames of war away from the region,” he said.

    “This can only happen with sustained economic growth, development, and above all, lasting peace. Therefore, we must strive hard to keep the flames of war away from the region,” he stressed.

    Don’t get distracted by fake news and political wrangling

    During his speech, Gen Bajwa urged the cadets not to get “distracted by fake news and political wrangling” in the country.

    “The message is clear: The armed forces with the support of our citizens will never allow any country, group, or force to politically or economically destabilise Pakistan,” he said.

    Respect the democratic institutions

    “My dear cadets, you are entering the service when the challenges facing the country are complex and multifaceted hence your responsibilities are far greater and more demanding than that of your predecessors,” he told the cadets, advising them that as good soldiers they must always remain focused on their jobs and not get distracted by fake news and political wrangling in the country.

    “Respect the democratic institutions and be ready to defend the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and constitution of Pakistan with your life,” he further added.

    “Always remain prepared and alert to respond and defeat all intrigues and conspiracies hatched against our country with an iron fist. The message is clear. The armed forces, with the support of our citizens, will never allow any country, group, or force to politically or economically destabilize Pakistan,” he concluded while thanking the commandant for training the cadets.

  • ‘You have to spoon-feed people’: Imran Khan in another explosive audio leak

    ‘You have to spoon-feed people’: Imran Khan in another explosive audio leak

    Another alleged audio of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has been leaked on Friday, purportedly featuring him and his former ministers Asad Umar and Shireen Mazari discussing the United States (US) cipher once again.

    Context of the audio:

    Asad Umar: Another point is, in hindsight, that whatever we are doing now should have been done at least ten days ago.

    Imran Khan: The impact of this letter is far-reaching and it has reached all over the world, more than we expected.

    Shireen Mazari: The Chinese have issued an official statement, condemning US intervention in the internal affairs of Pakistan.

    Imran Khan: The public is with us and we must ensure that the pressure must be at such a height that whoever goes to the assembly for voting must be branded for life and you have to brand them as Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq. You have to spoon-feed people as their minds are currently fertile grounds.

    Both the former ministers can be heard agreeing with their party chief. Earlier in the day, another audio clip leaked that suggested Khan was involved in horse trading during his tenure at the country’s highest office.

    It is pertinent to mention here that this alleged audio leak is part three of PTI’s audio leak series regarding the US cipher.

    In the previous US cipher audio leaks, Imran Khan when he was Prime Minister, is directing his close aides not to take America’s name while talking about the US cipher in public.

    The PTI chief also told his then-principal secretary Azam Khan that, “We have to play with it [cipher]”.

    ‘Making a few moves of my own which we cannot make public’: Khan’s new audio leak

    Another alleged audio of former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan was released on Friday, purportedly featuring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief talking about horse-trading in parliament.

    In the audio recording, a voice believed to be Imran’s says: “You have a misunderstanding that now the number game is complete […] don’t think this is over.”

    The voice in the audio, allegedly of the PTI chairman, can be heard strategising on horse-trading in parliament.

    It is being suggested that the recording is from before the vote of no-confidence against Khan.

    Context of audio:

    Imran Khan: You are greatly mistaken that the number game is now complete.

    Imran Khan: It’s not like that…don’t think that it’s over because 48 hours from now is a long time.

    Imran Khan: Big things are happening. I am making some moves of my own which we cannot make public.

    Imran Khan: I am buying five, I have five. [We need] to give the message that the five are very important.

    Imran Khan: And tell him if he secures five more and it turns to 10, the game will be in our hand.

    Imran Khan: The nation is alarmed right now.

    Imran Khan: Across the board people want us to win in any way possible, so no one needs to worry if this is right or wrong – whatever the tactic.

    Imran Khan: Even if someone breaks one, it will have a big impact.

    The audio clip released on Friday is the third such leak featuring the PTI chairman. Last week, an audio clip purportedly revealed a conversation between Imran and then principal secretary Azam Khan about the cipher — shared by Asad Majeed, the then envoy to the US — which Imran has used to peddle his foreign conspiracy narrative.

    PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on Friday did not disavow the contents of the latest audio clip but said that “Everyone knows where and how the audios are being made”.

    In a tweet, the former minister asked: “By joining together voices such as these will you prove NRO 2 to be valid?”

  • Rana Sanaullah says that PTI Senator Saifullah Nyazee has been taken into ‘protective custody’

    Rana Sanaullah says that PTI Senator Saifullah Nyazee has been taken into ‘protective custody’

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee has been taken into “protective custody” by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for questioning in the party’s foreign funding case.

    In a press conference on Friday, the minister said, “He has been taken into protective custody, so he can be questioned.” He added that legal formalities will be fulfilled before arresting the senator if the agency deemed it necessary.

    Earlier, it was reported that the PTI senator was arrested in the foreign funding case. According to Geo News, he was arrested for the $625,000 transferred to the Insaf Trust account in 2013 in violation of rules and regulations.

    Prior to the minister’s clarification, FIA, in a tweet, said that no arrest has been made.

    “The senator has not been arrested by any FIA wing as yet,” the agency’s spokesperson said and condemned the reports circulating in the media.

    Earlier today, PTI leaders claimed Nyazee has been “picked up” by “unknown men” from outside the Senate premises in Islamabad.

    Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, PTI General Secretary Asad Umar said: “I have just received news that Saifullah Nyazee has been picked up from the Senate.”

    https://twitter.com/ShehzadGul89/status/1578290516856229893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1578290516856229893%7Ctwgr%5Ecbcda1c3c0964b5c3947ce41901c263275373bea%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dawn.com%2Fnews%2F1713931

    Former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry called Chairman of the Senate Sadiq Sanjrani to take notice of the incident.

    On September 13, the FIA Cyber Crime Wing raided Nyazee’s house. Two days later, Nyazee submitted a privilege motion against the Islamabad police and FIA over the breach of his privilege.

    He said the behaviour of the FIA and Islamabad police, including alleged harassment of his wife and daughters, was tantamount to the breach of privilege of the house of the federation and its member. Hence, the Senate chairman should take appropriate action on this breach.

  • ‘People behind my assassination plot will claim that a religious fanatic has killed me’: Khan

    ‘People behind my assassination plot will claim that a religious fanatic has killed me’: Khan

    Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has said that a tape containing the names of four people who are planning to assassinate him, will be released if anything happens to him.

    “The tape, which includes the names of four people, will be released if something happens to me,” said the former prime minister while addressing a jalsa in Mianwali.

    Without providing the names of the four persons, Khan said at today’s rally that if he were to be assassinated, then the people behind the plot will claim that a “religious fanatic has killed me”.

    “The people making plans against me will fail,” the PTI chairman, who has been at loggerheads with the incumbent government and plans to hold a long march seeking to oust the rulers from office, stressed.

    This is not the first time that the PTI chairman has claimed that his life is under threat, as after his ouster from the Prime Minister’s Office, Khan and his party’s leaders have time and again stated that plans were being hatched to assassinate him.

  • Ishaq Dar denies allegation of taking any money, says ‘Imrandos’ are spreading fake news

    Ishaq Dar denies allegation of taking any money, says ‘Imrandos’ are spreading fake news

    Finance Minister Ishaq Dar called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) a “disinformation army”.

    In a media talk on Thursday, responding to a question by a journalist about him taking Rs72 crore in back salary, the minister said, “This is the disinformation army of PTI who malign everything” and termed them as “imrandos”.

    “I didnt take a single penny and don’t have any intention to take any money,” he added.

    During the talk, when asked about decreasing petrol prices, he said, “Abhi kal toh ki hai”. (We reduced the prices just now).

    The finance minister also addressed the continuous depreciation of the US dollar against the rupee, saying that the greenback depreciated without him doing anything.

    He also announced a power subsidy package for Pakistan’s export industries with per unit electricity cost set at Rs19.99.

    Dar said the annual burden of the subsidy would amount to around Rs90-100 billion, adding that the “all-inclusive” package was announced for the five major exporting sectors, and not just the textile sector.

    Meanwhile, in response to a question on whether the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was taken into confidence on the package, the finance minister said: “I don’t need to take the IMF into confidence, when I know what I am doing then it is my responsibility to create fiscal space for it and I have done so.”

    Moreover, the minister said the market is now going in the “right direction” and correcting itself.

  • Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari reveals her second son’s name

    Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari reveals her second son’s name

    Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the daughter of late Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, announced the birth of her second child on Instagram on Thursday.

     Her second son is named Mir Sijawal Mahmood Choudhry.

    She took to Instagram and made a prayer for his name. “Named by and after his nana baba, sij is Sindhi for sun. Sijawal means the rising sun.”

    Bakhtawar Bhutto announces birth of second son

    Bakhtawar posted, the news with caption, ” We are happy to announce the birth of our second baby boy.”

    The baby, a boy, was born on October 5.

    Announcing the birth of his new-born nephew, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted, “Mamu 2.0”.

    Her first child, Mir Hakim, was born on October 10, 2021. Back then, Bakhtawar also used Instagram to make the surprise announcement of his birth.

    It is likely that her second son, whose name has not yet been revealed, was also born in Dubai as Bakhtawar and her husband, Mahmood Choudhry, are based there.